Process for producing a pressure transducer using silicon-on-insulator technology

• US 5,510,276 A
• Filed: 12/15/1993
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Diem, Bernard, Delaye, Marie-Therese
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Radomsky, Leon
• Application Number:
  US08/167,503
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 437/901, 437/921, 437/974, 437/927, 437/24, 437/228 M, 437/228 SEN, 437/26, 148/DIG. 159, 148/DIG. 135, 148/DIG. 73, 73/777, 73/718, 73/721, 73/724, 73/727
• US Class Current: 438/53
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0264 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00158 Diaphragms, membranes manufacture process for semi-permeable inorganic membranes B01D67/0039
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0042 Constructional details associated with semiconductive diaphragm sensors, e.g. etching, or constructional details of non-semiconductive diaphragms details about the integration or bonding of piezoresistor in or on the diaphragm G01L9/0052 and G01L9/0057 respectively
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0055 bonded on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0073 using a semiconductive diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/135 Removal of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/159 Strain gauges

Abstract

A process for producing a pressure transducer or sensor using the silicon-on-insulator method is provided. The process includes the following steps: (a) producing a monocrystalline silicon film (44) on a silicon substrate (6) at least locally separated from the latter by an insulating layer (42), (b) producing an opening (24) in the silicon film down to the insulating layer, (c) partially eliminating the insulating layer via the opening in order to form the diaphragm in the silicon film, and (d) resealing the opening (26).

Claims

1. A process for producing an integrated pressure transducer having at least one deformable diaphragm integral with a monocrystalline silicon substrate and means for measuring deformation of the diaphragm, said process comprising the following steps, in sequence, of:

a) implanting oxygen ions in the monocrystalline silicon substrate (6,6a) and annealing the substrate at a temperature about 1150°

C. to about 1400°

C. in order to form a monocrystalline silicon film (44,44a) on the substrate and separated from the substrate, at least locally, by an insulating layer (42,42a),

b) producing an opening (26,26a) in the silicon film down to the insulating layer,

c) partially eliminating the insulating layer via said opening in order to form the diaphragm in the silicon film,

d) resealing said opening (24,24a), said process also including producing at least one buried electrode contact layer (12,111,113,115) in the silicon substrate facing the deformable diaphragm, said production of said buried electrode contact layer taking place following the annealing of the substrate.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the partial elimination of the insulating layer is performed by isotropic chemical etching.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein a monocrystalline silicon layer (50) is epitaxial or epitaxially deposited on the silicon film before making the opening.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means (52) is at least partly formed in at least one of the silicon film and the epitaxially deposited silicon layers, which are then conductive and electric contacts (32,34,58) are produced on the conductive silicon for said means.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is of N doped monocrystalline silicon.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein resealing said opening comprises depositing on the complete structure at least one additional layer and etching said additional layer so as to only retain material at location of the opening.

7. A process according to claim 6, wherein a stack of two insulating layers made of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, respectively are used to reseal the opening.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the buried electrode contact layer is formed by local implantation of ions in the substrate with a conductivity type opposite to that of the substrate.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer (42) is formed over the entire surface of the substrate.

10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the transducer has differential capacitive measuring means, and said process further comprises simultaneous production of a reference structure (4) having a rigid diaphragm (16) integrated onto the substrate, and including the following steps:

producing a conductive silicon film separated from the substrate over its entire surface,

producing several openings (26,30) in the silicon film and extending down to the insulating layer,

partially eliminating the insulating layer via at least one (26) of said openings,

resealing said openings by means of insulating studs (28),

producing electric contacts (34) on the conductive silicon film.

11. A process according to claim 10, wherein in the conductive silicon film is produced one of the several openings (26) down to the insulating layer, and the insulating layer is eliminated via said one opening and other openings (30) in the silicon film.

12. A process according to claim 10, wherein at least one buried reference electrode contact layer (14) is formed in the silicon substrate facing the rigid diaphragm (10).

13. A process according to claim 1, and further comprising a peripheral etching of the silicon formed on the insulating layer in order to insulate the diaphragm or diaphragms (8,8a,10).